Harry Redknapp has branded his former club West Ham ‘disrespectful’ over their treatment of current boss Julen Lopetegui amid the Spaniard’s expected dismissal.
Former West Ham United manager Harry Redknapp has labelled his former club ‘disrespectful’ over the way they have handled the expected dismissal of current boss Julen Lopetegui.
The Hammers have suffered back-to-back 5-0 and 4-1 defeats at the hands of Liverpool and Manchester City, with reports now suggesting that the Spanish coach is set to be sacked off the back of the results.
Lopetegui took training as normal on Wednesday morning, however the club have cancelled a planned press conference ahead of Friday’s FA Cup third round clash against Aston Villa, suggesting that the 58-year-old’s departure is imminent.
It is expected that former Chelsea and Brighton boss Graham Potter will be appointed as the new West Ham manager in the next 24 hours, with the club already holding talks with the Englishman despite not yet relieving Lopetegui of his duties.
🚨 Julen Lopetegui leading West Ham United training this morning but expected to be relieved of duties subsequently. Talks progressing with Graham Potter – not complete but #WHUFC plan to appoint Englishman as new head catch in next 24 hours @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/sSOlRBduKE
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) January 8, 2025
Harry Redknapp: West Ham’s Treatment Of Julen Lopetegui ‘Disrespectful’
Speaking on BBC Radio London, former Hammers boss Redknapp slammed the East London outfit over their treatment of Lopetegui, branding club chiefs as ‘disrespectful’.
“It’s disrespectful [from West Ham] no doubt about that. If you want to get rid of him, you call him and say ‘I’m sorry it’s not worked out’… obviously talks have been going on with Graham Potter. He seems to be the number one target.”
He continued, highlighting the huge expectation among fans at the London Stadium: “But it’s not an easy place to manage West Ham. The expectation there is very high. So whoever goes there, not only do they have to produce a winning team, they’ve got to produce a team that plays what West Ham fans see as ‘the West Ham way’.”
The Hammers, currently in 14th place in the Premier League table, are priced at around 20/1 to be relegated by the UK’s best football betting sites, while they are around 6/1 to achieve a top-half finish.
